Keith Atkinson has captained the Bewl Valley team over the last two years and
took the team to their first success in the 1999 regional ‘ICEBREAKER’ Championships
in December that year. The team followed the success with a repeat performance
in 2000, just to prove it was not a fluke!

Last year the team managed a commendable fourth place in the National Club
Championships that are held annually at Whitwell, a village situated on north
shore of the huge expanse Rutland Water, which is some four times larger than
their home base of Bewl Water, situated deep in the ‘Garden of England’.

This year with a very strong team Keith was determined to make it one to go
down in the record books at Bewl. This may well be his last ‘Raceboard’ event
as well as his last event as Bewl Captain as he is now to concentrate on his
GB team placing in the World Youth ‘Formula’ class championships in Rome next
month and the World Championships in Brazil in September.

Keith’s team of six comprised of himself, three members from the Bexley based
family of Polly, Andy and son Lee Copleston, Grevel Bates and Jay Williamson.
With seven races held over two days, last weekend, the team had a convincing
lead right from the first race. Several members of the team had excellent race
placings, Keith managing a first and two second places, Andy a second and Jay
a third.

Once again last year’s winners, the West Pennine Club, had Mark Kay who was
the runner up in the National 2000 Championship as a member of their team. However
they were struggling from the outset and had to settle for second place to Bewl
who never looked challenged and had a convincing 150 point lead at the finish,
Making it a first ever National title for the Windsurfers at Bewl Valley.